VGO is a hydrocarbon fraction that may be converted into higher value hydrocarbon fractions such as diesel fuel, jet fuel, naphtha, gasoline, and other lower boiling fractions in refining processes such as hydrocracking and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC). However, VGO feed streams having higher amounts of sulfur are more difficult to convert. For example, the degree of conversion, product yields, catalyst deactivation, and/or ability to meet product quality specifications may be adversely affected by the sulfur content of the feed stream. It is known to reduce the sulfur content of VGO by catalytic hydrogenation reactions such as in a hydrotreating process unit.
Various processes using ionic liquids to remove sulfur and nitrogen compounds from hydrocarbon fractions are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,504 B2 discloses a process for the removal of organosulfur compounds from hydrocarbon materials which includes contacting an ionic liquid with a hydrocarbon material to extract sulfur containing compounds into the ionic liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 7,553,406 B2 discloses a process for removing polarizable impurities from hydrocarbons and mixtures of hydrocarbons using ionic liquids as an extraction medium. U.S. Pat. No. 7,553,406 B2 also discloses that different ionic liquids show different extractive properties for different polarizable compounds.
There remains a need in the art for improved processes that enable the removal of compounds comprising sulfur from vacuum gas oil (VGO).